289. BURTON, W. P., AND SOLOMAN, E. (M. W. Kellogg Co.). Recovery of Organic Acids. United States Patent 2,590,087, Mar. 25, 1952; appl. filed Nov. 14, 1946, Serial No. 709,882; 5 claims (Cl.260-450.).

Patent Abstracts

289. BURTON, W. P., AND SOLOMAN, E. (M. W. Kellogg Co.). Recovery of Organic Acids. United States Patent 2,590,087, Mar. 25, 1952; appl. filed Nov. 14, 1946, Serial No. 709,882; 5 claims (Cl.260-450.).

Process refers specifically to the separation of organic acids from their aqueous salt solutions obtained as products in the reduction of CO with H₂ in the presence of a catalyst at elevated temperatures. The process comprises 3 steps: (1) An aqueous solution of alkali salts of acetic and higher boiling H₂O-soluble organic acids and H₂O-insoluble organic acids is mixed with an inorganic acid having a boiling point higher than that of H₂O (H₂SO₄) or with one which forms a maximum boiling azeotrope with H₂O (HCL) : (2) this mixture is separated into an acid-rich phase comprising H2O-insoluble organic acids and a portion of the H₂O-soluble organic acids and a H₂O-rich phase comprising inorganic salts and the remainder of the H₂O-soluble organic acids: (3) the 2 phases are separated, and the H₂O-rich phase is distilled to separate substantially all H₂O-soluble organic acids having a least 3 C atoms per molecule as their H₂O azeotropes from the remaining aqueous solution.